Positions During Labour

Maternal positions and mobility during first stage labour.

BACKGROUND It is more common for women in both high- and low-income countries giving birth in health facilities, to labour in bed. There is no evidence that this is associated with any advantage for women or babies, although it may be more convenient for staff. Observational studies have suggested that if women lie on their backs during labour this may have adverse effects on uterine contractio...

Women's positions during the second stage of labour: views of primary care midwives.

AIM This paper is a report of a study to explore the views of midwives on women's positions during the second stage of labour. BACKGROUND Many authors recommend encouraging women to use positions that are most comfortable to them. Others advocate encouragement of non-supine positions, because offering 'choice' is not enough to reverse the strong cultural norm of giving birth in the supine pos...

Cardiopulmonary Collapse during Labour

Cardiopulmonary collapse during labour is a catastrophic event caused by various medical, surgical and obstetrical conditions. It is an emergency that threatens the life of the mother and her unborn child. We present a case of a pregnant woman who suffered from preeclampsia and underwent induction of labour. Severe lung edema occurred early in labour that caused cardiopulmonary collapse. Advanc...

Cardiac output during labour.

Serial measurements of cardiac output and mean arterial pressure were performed in 15 women during the first stage of labour and at one and 24 hours after delivery. Cardiac output was measured by Doppler and cross sectional echocardiography at the pulmonary valve. Basal cardiac output (between uterine contractions) increased from a prelabour mean of 6.99 l/min to 7.88 l/min at greater than or e...

Cardiotocography during labour.